Hong Kong shopping centres failing to ensure barrier-free access, poll finds
By Fiona Sun
More than half of the facilities at 26 shopping centres in Hong Kong fail to meet barrier-free building standards, a charity has found, calling for improved accessibility to better serve people with disabilities and the elderly.
The Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation released the results of its survey on Thursday after reviewing the degree of accessibility at entrances and bathrooms, passageways, information counters, lifts and escalators.
It found that more than half of the facilities at all 26 sites reviewed failed to meet the minimum requirements set up in the Design Manual – Barrier Free Access 2008, published by the Buildings Department.
Half of the 26 shopping centres assessed were built in 2008 or before.
“The situation reflected in the survey was just the tip of the iceberg,” said Iris Chan Kwan-ning, the organisation’s consultant for research and advocacy.
“The non-compliance at older shopping centres was worse, but the conditions of the newer ones were also not good,” she added.
Chan said many of the failures were found in entrances, information counters and lift lobbies.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Fiona Sun
More than half of the facilities at 26 shopping centres in Hong Kong fail to meet barrier-free building standards, a charity has found, calling for improved accessibility to better serve people with disabilities and the elderly.
The Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation released the results of its survey on Thursday after reviewing the degree of accessibility at entrances and bathrooms, passageways, information counters, lifts and escalators.
It found that more than half of the facilities at all 26 sites reviewed failed to meet the minimum requirements set up in the Design Manual – Barrier Free Access 2008, published by the Buildings Department.
Half of the 26 shopping centres assessed were built in 2008 or before.
“The situation reflected in the survey was just the tip of the iceberg,” said Iris Chan Kwan-ning, the organisation’s consultant for research and advocacy.
“The non-compliance at older shopping centres was worse, but the conditions of the newer ones were also not good,” she added.
Chan said many of the failures were found in entrances, information counters and lift lobbies.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
